


liberum esse

by Salaka_chan



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Action/Adventure, Because the world needs more fluffy tails, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Smut, Garleans (Final Fantasy XIV), Garlemald (Final Fantasy XIV), Gentle Kissing, Kissing, Like REAL slow burn, Magitek, Patch 2.0: A Realm Reborn Spoilers, Plot Twists, Romance, Slow Burn, but come on this garlean is old so yeah.... slooooooooow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:15:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28660071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salaka_chan/pseuds/Salaka_chan
Summary: The heated metal of his armour burned into his flesh while countless explosions brought the Praetorium to its final downfall. He felt no physical pain for quite some time as he let his tired body wander aimlessly into the flaming inferno with ponderous steps.………This was the end for the man "van Baelsar".………The golden eyes of the Garlean flashed hatefully, heralding the birth of a new life.
Relationships: Gaius van Baelsar/OC
Kudos: 9





	1. Prologue: Crumbled to ashes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello dear readers,
> 
> I hope that my story with Gaius will catch your attention and captivate you. English is not my first language, so I would like to apologize for any grammatical mistakes or if some terms are not quite correct. 
> 
> Have fun while reading! <3

„And so my conquest ends, Cid. In smoke and ashes…“ 

The sea of flames engulfed the last remnants and piles of debris of the Praetorium that remained after the activation of the Ultima Weapon. The smell of burnt flesh and oil lingered heavily in the air, while the defeated Legatus rose from the ground with the last of his strength and gazed bitterly at his supposed end.

The shaft of Heirsbane made a low creaking sound as the Garlean gripped it tightly with his burnt hand. Blood flowed down the long blade and dripped onto the scorched ground. His blood. The blood of the conqueror. The same gunblade which have spilled the blood of nine aspirants to the crown in times past. Conquering Eorzea was just another stage in his life to further consolidate the status of the Garlearian Empire. The primae, eikons who shamelessly drained this world of the essence of life, conjured up by desperate, feeble peoples, should disappear from this universe once and for all. All that is needed is one's own strength to determine where one stands in life, instead of gods who feasted on the servility and helplessness of their followers. 

"Like a fool." He would die like a fool. His glorious campaign of conquest was over. The Warrior of Light, despite the use of the Ultima Weapon, had crushed him. But the fact that he had been used by the Ascians merely to accomplish for their lower aspirations ignited an unprecedented agony in him. His failure was unforgivable to the Garlearian Empire and to his fallen soldiers. He had made a momentous mistake, which was to be expected from a foolish youth, but not from a veteran who had already fought and won countless battles. 

The heated metal of his armour burned into his flesh while countless explosions brought the Praetorium to its final downfall. He felt no physical pain for quite some time as he let his tired body wander aimlessly into the flaming inferno with ponderous steps.  
…  
…  
…  
This was the end for the man "van Baelsar".  
…  
…  
…  
The golden eyes of the Garlean flashed hatefully, heralding the birth of a new life.


	2. Shards of the past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and welcome to my 2nd chapter :3
> 
> Have you already noticed that Gaius' third eye looks different compared to the other Garleans? I really needed a backstory and here it is! I hope you will like it and I hope you enjoy reading it. <3

Shards of the past

She gazed lovingly at him with her jade-green eyes as she gently stroked his head, trying in vain to tuck the unruly hair behind his ears. Her slightly trembling calloused hands finally came to rest on his cheeks before her soft voice broke the silence. "You will grow up to be a beautiful man Gaius. You have your father's eyes and face and with each passing day you resemble him more."

"It wasn't my fault! Appius started calling Quinta a traitor just because she's missing her third eye. I wanted him to stop but... instead he called me a gutter brat of a... a...", Gaius paused and bit his lower lip angrily. Blood ran down his chin and dripped onto the worn floorboards. 

His mother exhaled audibly before carefully running her hand over the extensive blue swelling on his cheekbone. "Sometimes it is better to be silent and retire for the time being. Battles are not won exclusively by brute force Gaius." With a fluid motion she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed away the dark red line on his chin. 

"But if the other one sees that I am stronger, he will leave me alone! You don't need words or pretended silence! The stronger one is automatically right too." Gaius noticed that his mother was now cleaning his chin with a little more pressure.

"You are still so young and inexperienced. Practice restraint and you will see that new paths will open up for you." 

Sullenly, he turned his face away from hers and looked towards the window. It was already evening and the last dark red rays of the sun were beginning to fade on the horizon.  
As his mother put back her handkerchief, she clasped his face again and forced him to look into her eyes. "I know you are strong, but learn to understand. Empathy, restraint and patience also show strength." 

"But..." he had to blink a few times before continuing," it's so hard mother."  
A warm smile was on her lips. "Even as a seasoned man, your father, much like you, had his problems with it."

Silence filled the premises as mother and son gazed steadfastly into each other's eyes. Her lips formed a soundless," My little wolf.". No further words were needed. 

The following days passed without any incident. It was already late evening when Gaius looked down spellbound at the book in his lap. Complicated formulas occupied most of the pages, explaining the causal relationship between voltage, energy and resistance on a scientific basis and putting it into context with current Magitek technology. He was aware that he would not be a gifted engineer like some of the other tech-savvy ones at the academy, but he wanted to use this branch as a means to an end. His mother's pleas would not be in vain. He would prove his strength. In the way SHE would want him to be. Even though he resembled his father in outward appearance, he would not make the same mistakes as him. He would not lay down his life as a lowly soldier in battle. Instead, he would rather be passive and strengthened the army from the background. Although it was not possible for the Garlean to cast magic, thanks to their advanced technology, they still had a great advantage in open combat. 

His father's gunblade was leaning against his bedpost. Countless scratches adorned the medium-sized blade. The cylinder was defective and could no longer be recharged, yet Gaius cared for the weapon regularly. It was the only thing his father had left him.  
…  
…  
…  
A paralysing emptiness reigned inside him when he received the news. His mother had been found in a secluded back alley. Dead. A drunken mercenary was about to have his way with a girl and no one around paid any attention to what was happening. No one WANTED to see it, except his mother. She stepped in and wanted to settle the argument through dialogue, but the outcome of this situation turned out differently than she had imagined. None of the people present on the spot could testify in the interrogation how it had come to the murder of his mother. 

Motionless, he stood in front of his mirror and gazed at his image with a fixed gaze. The golden eyes studied the petrified features, those that had so often been caressed by the familiar calloused hands of his mother. The same one that had received countless kisses full of affection. Most of the time she had kissed his third eye, laughing in amusement when he complained that she was tickling him. 

During each of their hugs, she had held him tightly against her, tousling his unruly hair even more as she whispered lovingly, "My little wolf," in his ear. A term of endearment she had only uttered when they were alone together. He could still feel the warmth of her body, while her scent was still present in the room. 

His golden eyes took on a glassy expression. "Do you see it now, mother? The strongest always win, that is the law of this world. The strong get to rule over the weak." He pulled out his pocket knife and flipped it open. Without a moment's hesitation, he placed it on his forehead and with precise accuracy, cut out smaller pieces of flesh around his third eye. Dark red blood poured from the wound and most of it ran into his eyes as he continued his work unflinchingly with meticulous precision. Meanwhile, his lips were pressed tightly together in a thin line and made no sound at all. 

Finally, he wiped his face several times with his sleeve before he went to his bed and took his father's gunblade. Back in front of the mirror, he examined the result of his work, the expression in his eyes now having changed. Wild unbridled determination flared in them. He would become a conqueror. On the battlefield he would show no mercy and subdue anyone who dared stand in his way. As a son of Garlemald, it was his duty to protect the Empire and suppress or destroy anything that stood in her way. All will tremble before him.His knuckles stood out white as he tightened his grip on the gunblade while looking at his third eye in the reflection. 

A vertical eye that was capable of analysing the surroundings better than magic gifted beings would ever be able to. Blood continued to flow from the deep flesh wound, dripping at irregular intervals onto the floor, while a single telltale tear mixed with it and drowned in the mass. He would become a wolf, which will tear everything and everyone in the air. He was ready.

\---

\---

Gaius groaned in agony as irrepressible pain consumed his consciousness and seemed to steal his mind. Every fibre of his body pulsed in sync with his heartbeat, while even breathing pushed the Garlean to his limit. Dying. He could have simply died like his father on the battlefield, and given his current physical condition, that was still a possible option. Breathing as shallowly as possible, he tried to open his eyes to scan the immediate surroundings and evaluate his situation, which also turned out to be an extremely painful affair. At first, he only saw dark colour gradients before he realised that someone was bent over him, motionless. Bright, large green eyes looked at him with a rather cold expression and he couldn't help but think of jade for a moment.

\---  
The fresh evening breeze made the individual blades of grass bounce up and down, while one of the young woman's elongated black ears tilted to the side. Her puffy tail twitched jerkily as the man beside her began to stir, while the sound of a smaller waterfall rang out in the distance, occasionally punctuated by the excited chirping of birds. 

Amber gold met jade green. Time seemed to stand still as the two eyed each other, never breaking eye contact at any moment. During his campaigns, the Legatus had already encountered countless beings, but the presence and the sight of this woman made his body freeze and he forgot all his pain for a short moment. He felt neither fear nor affection. Rather, it was a feeling he had always assigned to the weak up to that point. Fate.

"I didn't think you would wake up so quickly. Your condition is still critical and I am not sure to what extent my healing powers can contribute to your further recovery."

When the man tried to sit up, the stranger pushed him unyieldingly back onto the bed. "You will remain lying down. For now." 

A mirthless laugh escaped the Garlean, which shortly afterwards turned into a rasping cough and the pain finally robbed him of his senses. Blackness enveloped him and let him slip into a dreamless sleep. A Miqo'te had saved his life. The irony of this situation was unparalleled in its absurdity and he would accept his assigned fate with his head bowed. At least for this brief moment.


End file.
